Apple’s third generation iPad will hit store shelves on Friday, March 16, and that’s when pre-orders for the multimedia tablet will start arriving in customers hands, too. Only two days after pre-orders began, however, the delivery date for new iPad orders is already slipping in the United States and other countries.
Pre-ordering a new iPad in the U.S. will still get a tablet in your hands on March 16, unless you’re trying to pick up the 16GB white Wi-Fi model. The 16GB model is showing a March 19 ship date now.
New iPad ship dates are slipping around the world
Singapore customers will have to wait even longer since all iPad models are listed as “Ships by March 22.” Hong Kong shoppers may have to wait even longer since all iPad models are listed as currently unavailable.
In Australia, the iPad pre-orders will deliver between March 16 and March 22, although the 64GB Wi-Fi model shows as shipping by March 22.
In the U.K., iPad pre-orders are listed as “Dispatched: 2-3 weeks,” and in Canada all new iPad models show as available by March 19. Pre-ordering any new iPad model in Germany or France gets you a March 19 ship date.
Apple unveiled the new iPad on Wednesday at a special media event in San Francisco. The third generation iPad includes a high resolution Retina Display, a 5 megapixel camera, a faster processor, and LTE wireless data support on some models.
Pre-orders kicked off Wednesday afternoon, and hopeful buyers immediately brought Apple’s online store to its knees. Early buyers dealt with website stalls, failed transaction attempts and confirmation email delays when they successfully completed their transactions.
Ship dates will likely continue to slip around the world, so by next week there’s a good chance that anyone wanting to get an iPad on launch day will have to wait in line at a store — and may have to wait for hours before getting into the store, too.